Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut

Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut is a terraced funerary temple at Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor, built for the female pharaoh Hatshepsut in the 15th century BCE. The temple is characterised by its three colonnaded terraces connected by ramps and integrated directly into the cliff face.

The monument contains reliefs and inscriptions that record the pharaoh’s reign and expeditions, and originally served funerary and cult functions for the royal house. Its clean axial layout and terraces make it one of the most distinctive New Kingdom mortuary temples.

Construction took place during Hatshepsut’s reign in the mid-18th Dynasty, with the architect often identified as Senenmut. In later periods parts of the temple were damaged or repurposed, and it was excavated and restored by archaeologists from the 19th century onward.

The temple stands in the Deir el-Bahari bay of the Theban cliffs, on the west bank of the Nile directly across from modern Luxor and a short distance north of the Valley of the Kings.

• Terraced design: The structure is built into a cliff face in a three-tiered, terraced arrangement with colonnaded levels and ramps that align with the cliff above the mortuary complex.

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el‑Bahari) is on Luxor’s West Bank immediately below the cliffs near the Valley of the Kings. Most visitors reach it by taxi, private car or organized tour from Luxor (East Bank); the road transfer from central Luxor takes roughly 15-30 minutes depending on traffic and hotel location.

The temple sits beside the main West Bank road serving the Valley of the Kings, so it is a short walk from the parking/drop‑off area and is often visited in combination with nearby tombs and monuments.

• Visit the temple at first light when coach groups from Luxor are still arriving-the terraces and colonnades are far quieter and the low-angle light flatters the reliefs.
• Approach from the West Bank road that connects the Valley of the Kings and the temple to combine visits efficiently; many tour buses stop here briefly, so ask drivers to allow extra time if you want to explore the reliefs more slowly.
• Walk the side ramps and inner chapels rather than lingering only on the main ramped façade-guides often point out well-preserved scenes that quick bus stops overlook.